Home Gateway Remote Management via Secure Data Exchange
Solution Overview
Problem
Current home-network management systems are costly and difficult for non-technical users to update, as they require direct intervention from service providers or users, leading to increased costs and security risks when updating environment setting data for home-devices.
Innovation Solution
A remote management apparatus and method that interfaces with a home-network and external network to automatically transmit and receive environment setting data for home-devices, using XML-based HTTP data formats and SSL/TCP for secure communication, allowing for the remote installation and updating of environment settings without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If service providers directly visit customers to update environment data, then update reliability is improved, but service cost increases enormously
Solution Approach 1:
The home gateway automatically performs environment data updates without requiring service provider intervention. The system self-manages the update process by communicating with the provider server, retrieving updated environment data, and applying it to home devices, thereby eliminating the need for costly on-site service visits while maintaining update reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The home gateway acts as an intermediary between the provider server and home devices. It receives environment data from the provider server via network communication and automatically distributes it to the appropriate devices, replacing the need for direct service provider-customer interaction and reducing service costs.
2Ease of manufacture
If customers directly connect to provider server to update home-device, then service cost is reduced, but operation difficulty increases for non-skilled users
Solution Approach 1:
The home gateway automatically handles the complex process of connecting to the provider server, authenticating, retrieving environment data, and updating devices. This automation eliminates the need for customer intervention in technical operations, making the process as easy as plugging in a device while keeping costs low.
Solution Approach 2:
The home gateway serves as an intermediary that shields non-technical users from complex network operations. It manages all communications with the provider server in the background, translating complex server protocols into simple automatic updates that require no user skill.
3Ease of operation
If outside manager automatically updates environment data, then operation ease is improved, but security problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The home gateway acts as a secure intermediary that manages all communications with the provider server. It implements authentication protocols, encrypts data transmissions, and validates received environment data before applying it to devices. This intermediary layer maintains automatic updates while preventing security vulnerabilities through controlled, authenticated access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the home gateway verifies the authenticity of environment data from the provider server before applying updates. It checks digital signatures, validates data integrity, and confirms device identities, creating a secure feedback loop that prevents malicious or erroneous data from compromising the system.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for providing an interface between a home-network and a external network and remotely managing the home-device connected to the home-network. The apparatus includes a transmit data processing unit for transmitting information on the home-device to a provider server connected to the external network, and requesting environment setting data for setting a driving environment of the home-device; a receive data processing unit for receiving a response message based on the request, from the provider server, and extracting the environment setting data included in the response message; and an environment setting unit for setting the driving environment for the operation of the home-device, based on the environment setting data.